For those of you who do not know me, my name is Andrea. I am a sophomore in college at the University of New Hampshire and I live life by the fact that you can't spell college without a few L's. The following article is personal and rather close to me. That being said, I still believe each word on this screen can reach into the life of any sophomore at any college and truly find some ground.

In high school, we go through life without giving each hour the credit it deserves and we pass through days as though they are our most renewable resource. Classes are just another part of our day and BSing homework feels as though it is our greatest talent. We play on sports teams, we work, we hang out at our friend's parent's houses, and we wait to go to college. It is not until our senior year when we realize that all of everything we have ever known is almost over. We tend to run into our favorite teachers in 12th grade, and I think that has to do with finally learning to appreciate our free education and our massive amount of resources.

In short, here are some of the things I know I took for granted of in high school

1. Long talks with my parents.

2. Having a second and third closet to pull from when I needed something to wear.

3. Playing sports.

4. Being able to walk from my room to the bathroom in just a towel.

5. Free education.

6. Paid for trips to the grocery store.

7. Having my own room.

8. Always having a DDD (Designating Driving Dad) when in an emergency.

9. Summers with all of your friends.

10. The comfort in knowing that most of the people you love are in a 20-mile radius.

Unfortunately, it took me until being out of high school to realize what I took for granted. This time, my four-year go-around is not going to go discredited. I am only a sophomore but I still have begun to recognize my laundry list of lasts. The last time living in a college dorm, the last time you will have a class with your favorite graduating seniors, the last time sleeping on a twin extra long, and the last time that you will view the dining halls as your only food staple.While that sounds like a sad way to live, truthfully this recognition has begun to make me feel more grateful.

If we take the time to recognize how blessed we are in our own lives, we take the time to thank the others in our lives as well. Each day is a new day with the full potential to be your best day yet. I think we would all be happier people if we tried to obtain just that.